Lesson Plans for the song Ani Yehudi

Lesson Plans for the song Ani Yehudi B”H
Song written by Lenny Solomon of Shlock Rock www.shlockrock.com
Lesson Plan by Nechama Retting Director of Education for Shlock Rock and Gillian Solomon

Objectives: To help students understand that Kol Yisrael avayrim zeh lazeh – All of Israel is responsible for each other. We are all created B’tzelem El-him (in Hashem’s image) and may be different but we are all one family. To create a connection to the land of Israel and it’s people.

Step One: Watch the You Tube – Ani Yehudi. A free download is available here: http://www.megaupload.com/?f=XH5WV8WG

Step Two: Review the lyrics:

When﻿ I ask myself, who am I?
I’m a little Sephardi, a little Ashkenazi
a little Israeli, a tiny drop galuti (exiled)
Maybe religious, maybe secular, but between you and me

Chorus; I’m a Jew, and that’s special
not better than the other, not worse – Simply a Jew

Sometimes a soldier, sometimes﻿ a student,
I have a lot of past and I also see the future
sometimes a mitnaged (non-Chasid) and sometimes a Chasid
Maybe materialistic and maybe spiritual but always, always
I’m a Jew, and that’s special
not worse, not better, a little bit different – simply a Jew.

Suddenly I returned from afar, so we will be able to﻿ be here together
that I will be secure that I’ll return to laugh
that I can live comfortably and not be afraid
because I am a Jew, and that’s special
not better than the other, not worse – simply a Jew

Nothing will succeed to break me my brother
my soul, ﻿ is a part of a high external light
to fix the world that is my motto
I was born like this, I am a Jew.

Simply a Jew – like in other religions
we have; festivals, Shabbat, customs and mitzvot.
To say that everyone is sure in his righteousness
at the end we’re all Jewish, before the chair of His Holiness.

I am very afraid of baseless hatred,
I love my land and I love my nation
I have been here and there and all over the world
I have two opinions on what you will ask and I’ve also got a third opinion
Because I’m a Jew, and that’s special
not﻿ worse, not better, a little bit different – Simply a Jew

In pairs answer the following questions:

1) Who is the song about?

2) What is the song about?

3) Why do you think the song was written?

4) How does this song make you feel?

Step Three: Watch the You Tube again after understanding the lyrics.

Step Four: Class discussion – write responses on the board:

What do you think the message of this video is? How did it make you feel?
Do you feel the same way living in the Diaspora?
Did it make you think about Israel in a different way? Or make you feel connected to Israel?
Do you feel a responsibility towards Israel and the Jewish people?
Why or why not?

Step Five: Text study and discussion.

Break into Chevruta (small study groups) and have each group learn about a text and be able to teach the text and create a few discussion questions to share:

2) Vayikra 19:14-30 (Parshat Kedoshim) : (Vayikra Chapter 19 Verse 18) V’ahavta L’reacha camocha zeh k’lal gadol b’Torah – Love your neighbor as you love yourself…. You shall not hate your brother in your heart…. do not place a stumbling block before the blind… Do not be a talebearer (gossip) among your people. The 302 (out of 613) Mitzvah in the Torah is Ahavat Yisrael – Love your fellow Jew.

3) Talmud Shabbat 31a – A non Jewish person approached Rabbi Shammai and said to him: “Convert me but teach me the entire Torah as I stand on one foot.” Rabbi Shammai, feeling that he wasn’t serious, chased him away. This non Jew then approached Rabbi Hillel with the same request but was met with a very different reaction. Rabbi Hillel said “that which is hateful to you don’t do to others. That is the entire Torah,” Rabbi Hillel told him, “the rest is simply commentary. Now go and learn!”

4) Beresheet 1:27 – “Hashem created man in His Image, man and woman; in His Image He created them.”

Step Six: Reflection Time: Reflect on what you learned related to the You Tube.
How are all Jews responsible for each other?
What should we do if we see another Jew being discriminated against?
What should we do if we see anyone being discriminated against? (Example: Darfur)
How can we make a difference in the world?
How can we help Israel?

What can your class do to make a difference in the world? Have students come up with a (student motivated) social action project to be implemented over the next few weeks or throughout the school year.